Psychology 103d, the Biological Foundations of Behavior, has the potential to be one of the most interesting courses you take, whether or not you decide to further pursue psychology. As a scientific discipline, psychology represents a large-scale exercise in introspection. Why do we do the things we do? Human beings have a natural capacity for such introspection; therefore we appreciate the tools provided by psychology, allowing us to approach this introspective process empirically. While this course should be intrinsically rewarding for these reasons, unfortunately, your grade in this course necessarily will depend, not on your enjoyment of the material, but on your performance on the exams and assignments. The following advice will improve your chances of getting a good grade; it is based on the somewhat clichéd principle that your efforts in this course will be reflected in your grade. Also keep in mind that true success in this, and all of your courses, is whether you feel that you have learned something that you consider interesting and/or valuable.
The particular subset of psychological questions to be addressed this quarter focuses on the biological bases of behavior. That is, our behaviors are viewed as a product of the brain's activity, thus, we need to understand basic brain structure and function before we can begin to understand how the brain produces behavior. You may find that you need to review some high school biology and chemistry to succeed in this course.
Without question, you must attend lectures and pay attention. Reading assignments are often obscure until they are put into the context of the course. In my lectures, I will try to draw on previous concepts to provide thematic consistency to the course. You will notice similar concepts cropping up while considering various topics. It is wise to attend class to help you to understand current and previous material in its appropriate context. When possible, doing the reading assignments before coming to class also helps to set up a framework for the material to be covered in class.
Get help when you need it! If you are having consistent trouble making sense of course material (readings/lectures) you need extra help. The TA's are there to help you, as am I. Experience suggests that students under-utilize the expertise of the TA's, their optional Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions, and their overall willingness to help. The weekly SI sessions, held by the TA's, are designed specifically to go over difficult concepts, and to help students make sense of the course material. It is essential that you attend these sessions if you are having difficulty in the course.
STAY AWAKE IN CLASS. Your mere presence in class is not sufficient--you must be able to actively process the information presented! Thus, sleeping in class (or even daydreaming) will not be beneficial to you. You should also be aware that I have a keen eye for detail and I notice when people are sleeping, even if they are hiding in the back row...this behavior is one of my foremost "pet peeves"...if you are too tired to attend class, don't come. I would rather you miss class and get the notes from someone who was there and paying attention. If you find yourself too tired all the time, get more sleep. If you have a medical condition that prevents you from staying awake in class, please discuss this with me.
Clear up misunderstandings and confusion EARLY. Because concepts in this course build on previous ones, early misunderstandings can lead to problems later in the course.
Complete the optional writing assignments. Remember, you can earn up to 12 points by answering these thought questions. That can move a B- average (based on exam grades) up to an A.